Requisition Process with Workflow Automation

Requisition approvals are essential for companies of all sizes. A proven, reliable, organized, and consistent process ensures that orders are processed correctly. Your company can manage purchasing, jobs, and other requisitioned items to the level your customers, partners, and employees expect.

Unfortunately, too many companies still rely on simple, paper-based requisition processes. Requisitions are made on forms built in Word or Excel. Those forms are routed to managers and finance staff for sign-off, then routed again back to departments or purchasing.

Those old processes slow down the process and can lead to significant problems. That’s why so many companies today are reimagining their approval processes, choosing instead to use workflow automation tools to improve the process dramatically.

Requisition approval systems rely on efficiency to be effective. With workflow automation, your company can accelerate your requisition process to ensure all areas of the company are working efficiently.

Types of Requisitions

Requisition types vary from business to business. However, in each case, the process is similar.

An employee will complete a requisition for materials, supplies, or payments. In some cases, requisitions are used to fill vacant or new positions. Once submitted for approval, those requisitions go through certain approval processes before payments or positions are approved. The required approver may be a hiring manager, a purchasing representative, the finance team, or a warehouse supervisor; it depends on your process.

The Problems with Antiquated Processes

Outdated requisition approval processes are fraught with challenges, including:

• Lack of Transparency. Tracking paper-based processes to see where a requisition is in the pipeline can be difficult. This lack of transparency can lead to frustration and lack of clarity for employees seeking to know the status of a requisition.

• Processing Delays. With manual processes, moving a requisition from one step to the next can take days or weeks. These delays can cause lags in hiring, acquiring materials, and paying vendors on time.

• Poor Staff Usage. By manually entering and reentering data on requisition forms and payment systems, staff are spending hours that could be devoted to more meaningful work.

• Increased Errors. With more manual entry comes the risk of more transcription errors. These errors can lead to delays, incorrect financials, and time spent finding and correcting mistakes.

• Reporting Inaccuracies. Incorrect data can mean problems with key reports, both financial and otherwise. Inaccuracies can lead to flawed decision-making and regulatory problems.

Revolutionizing Requisitions

Automation offers the key to unlocking a more powerful, efficient requisition process.

Automation starts with mapping your requisition processes by visualizing tasks and routing. This process allows your company to set alerts, reminders, and overrides.

Next, a form designer will take your manual forms and create online, intuitive forms that can be accessed on all devices from anywhere.

Making the process intuitive and easy for users is a critical step. An automated workflow process should include a self-service portal that lets users complete forms, approve requests, and track progress. The automated solution should also include reporting tools that allow leaders to run reports and measure key performance indicators (KPIs) in real time.

Finally, your solution should integrate seamlessly with other business systems, using APIs to connect to finance, HR, purchasing, and other relevant tools.

Automating your requisition approvals can solve major issues, enhancing efficiency and transparency. Automation accelerates requisition timelines and delivers solutions ideal for users across the organization.

Nutrient Workflow offers workflow automation solutions that transform business processes from start to finish. Learn how Nutrient Workflow can automate your requisition processes and improve your business operations.

Interested in Automating Your Workflow?

Check out our Automation Resources or schedule a demonstration.

• Request a Live Demonstration

• Workflow Ideas Weekly Email Newsletter

• Product Videos

• Workflow Tools and eBooks